The Effect of Manual Acupuncture and Standard Therapy on Anxiety and Quality of Life Scores in Cancer Patients

The goal of this clinical trial is to prove that the combination of acupuncture therapy and standard therapy is more effective in reducing anxiety and improving the quality of life of cancer patients. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Can the combination of manual acupuncture and standard therapy reduce anxiety based on Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) scores in cancer patients compared to the sham acupuncture and standard therapy group? 2. Can the combination of manual acupuncture and standard therapy improve the quality of life of cancer patients based on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (EORTC-QLQ C30) compared to the sham acupuncture and standard therapy group?

Participants will:

Get manual acupuncture therapy and also standard therapy, such as oral Benzodiazepin and supportive psychotherapy or sham acupuncture therapy and the standard therapy (Benzodiazepin and supportive psychotherapy) every day for 6 days.

Researchers will compare the changes of anxiety scores and quality of life between cancer patients who received manual acupuncture therapy and standard therapy, and cancer patients who received sham acupuncture and standard therapy.

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Key information

Conditions

Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Cancer Mental Disorders Neoplasms Quality of Life

Age range

18 year–59 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Patients aged 18-59 years.
Diagnosed with cancer in the last 6 months
Experiencing moderate to severe anxiety (assessed by HAM-A Score > 14)
Willing to participate in this study until completion and sign an informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Cancer patients with unstable hemodynamics
Cancer patients with brain metastases
Patients who have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders and have received pharmacological therapy from psychiatrists before.
Patients who have contraindications to manual acupuncture (there are wounds or infections at the point to be punctured, patients are allergic to stainless steel, patients are phobic of needles)
Patients who are uncooperative and do not allow acupuncture therapy (patients who are restless, angry)
Patients with poor liver function (SGOT (Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase) /SGPT (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase)values increase 2-3 times the normal value)
Patients with blood clotting disorders (platelets <50,000, INR (International Normalized Ratio) > 2)
Patients with neutropenia (Absolute neutrophil count <1000)
Patients with overt DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) and acute venous or arterial thrombosis

Treatment and study plan

Manual acupuncture and standard therapy

Procedure

Manual acupuncture is acupuncture needle insertion was done perpendicularly to the acupuncture points GV20, EXHN3, HT7, and PC6 using Huanqiu needle measuring 0.25 x 25mm with mild stimulation rotation technique at a speed of 60x/minute and needle retention for 30 minutes. Therapy was performed every day for 6 days.

Standard therapy is anxiolytic drugs and supportive psychotherapy given to patients according to the decision of the psychiatrist treating the patient.

Sham acupuncture and standard therapy

Procedure

Sham acupuncture is when acupuncture needles are inserted into acupuncture points, but do not actually penetrate the skin, only attached to the plaster. Therapy was performed every day for 6 days.

Standard therapy is anxiolytic drugs and supportive psychotherapy given to patients according to the decision of the psychiatrist treating the patient.

Primary outcomes

Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) score

Time frame: 6 days

One tool to measure the degree of anxiety symptoms is a questionnaire. Scores range from 0-56.

Secondary outcomes

European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (EORTC-QLQ C30) score

Time frame: 6 days

Questionnaire to assess the quality of life of cancer patients with anxiety. Scores range from 0-100

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Indonesia University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jan 10, 2025
Registry last updated: Jan 8, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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